(FFXIV: pinup commission by ZeroJigoku of DeviantArt)

Square Enix has come a long way since Cloud infiltrated Don Corneo's place of business. Square Enix launched an epic online adventure known as Final Fantasy XIV on September 30, 2010. All of the best tropes from the legendary franchise that began in December 18, 1987 is there, with something unexpected: brothels. The general consensus is that the brothels are gil well spent, whether they are run by NPCs or real players. Yes, Final Fantasy XIV's oldest job class has NPCs and real players getting to work.

The NPC-run brothels are interesting, to say the least. Brothels in Limsa take their work on the go. They are run on ships, and called 'pleasure barges'. They're a bit shady, and it is suggested that the girls working there have little choice in the matter.

Those run in Ul’dah are known as 'pillowhouses' and appear to be slightly expensive. I trust they earn every gil, given that piercings seem to be common.

 The ladies of the evening in Costa del Sol provide a grand show as exotic dancers, and can get more physical with their clients. The girls here are noted to be happy, free-spirited, independent, and well-paid. They're also mostly miqo’te.  It's also noted that the master of Ul'dah gave a courtesan to Aismurl Goldmember as a gift.

However, the power lies with the players, too. Players will engage in sexy role-play with other players in these brothels. Everything is very professional, with the player courtesans well-compensated for their time. Things get steamy in chat, while emotes such as /hug and /doze are used to illustrate some parts. The chats can range from vanilla, to BDSM, and even tentacle porn, whatever the client wants. The real-life genders of the courtesans are kept private and are more or less unimportant, as they are known to act and behave as their client wishes. 

 Player-run brothels operate in mansions that appeal to player clients. Courtesans have been known to make around 4 million gil in about two weeks. An hour of having a stripped avatar dance on stage while the player does other things net around 10,000 gil. The mistress of the brothel takes her cut, but that is invested right back into the operation.

 While some brothels are just that, brothels, there are those that can be a front for other operations, such as mafia work. Truly this game is made for the players, to play as they wish and do things they couldn't do offline, such as fighting dragons with arcane magic, or running a brothel as a front for a mafia making items.

(I am not worthy, mistress)